He kept a small knife on him and it was just the right size to hide in the palm of his hand; he had concealed it there till he saw that Alex’s hands were tucked away underneath his arms. He judged that it would give him a tiny moment of surprise.
Now he was holding the knife at Robina’s throat; she was whimpering, rigid with terror.
“Let her go!” Alex roared, but Lockie dug the point of the knife into Robina’s soft throat just hard enough to allow a tiny trickle of blood to run down her neck.
Lockie smiled, but it was a twisted, evil smile. “So what were you saying about your dungeon, M'laird?” he sneered. “I am sure you can find someone else to put in it. In the meantime, I am taking two hostages in one, Laird Alex.” He nodded to Alex. “Go and get my horse saddled and ready. When that is done, and I am safely on my way, I will let Milady go.”
Alex had never been so terrified in his life. He had fought in wars, killed men, had been wounded and almost perished himself, but he had never felt like this, as if his whole world was crumbling before him. Later he would be angry, but now all he felt was desperation and gut-wrenching fear. Robina was staring at him, her eyes round with terror, and as he dashed past her, he cried, “I love you!”
He picked the first horse he found in the stable and instructed the stable hands to saddle and bridle it as fast as they could, then he ran back inside, where he saw Lockie inching into the courtyard with Robina.
Alex’s heart ached for her; she looked so vulnerable with her hands spread protectively over the mound of her belly, and tears of fright and fear were running down her face.
Lockie walked sideways towards the horse, his hold on her tightening. Alex could see that she was beginning to choke, and Lockie felt an incredible surge of power go through him as he took in the expression of anguish and utter helplessness on Alex’s face.
“You are choking her!” Alex cried desperately. “Please let her go.”
Lockie stood still for a moment, then pressed the knife point into Robina’s throat again, a little harder so that the trickle of blood was bigger, and she gave a little squeal of pain.
“Kneel,” he said, laughing at Alex’s humiliation. Alex did so at once. “Now you know how it feels to be helpless and humiliated.” His voice was scathing.
They were standing right beside the horse now, and Lockie had to let Robina go or lose his chance to get away. He pushed her away from him as hard as he could, and she stumbled a few steps and would have fallen if Alex had not dived in front of her at the last second and caught her. Even so, her knees hit the floor with a thump. They knelt on the ground for a moment, and Alex buried his face in her hair, closing his eyes and sending up a silent prayer of gratitude.
No one had noticed Lorna silently moving behind Lockie and Robina. Alex was too busy concentrating on them, and Lockie was too intent on getting away.
As soon as Lockie had thrown Robina on the floor, he turned to mount the horse, and Lorna threw herself on his back, pulling him off. He tried everything to move her off of him and eventually Lockie managed to do so. Then he turned to mount the horse, but Lorna’s intervention had changed everything, giving Alex a few seconds to get up. He unsheathed his dagger and advanced towards Lockie.
Then the horse, frightened by the chaotic screaming and mayhem beside him, skittered sideways, half rearing up, and knocked Lockie off his feet and onto the point of Alex’s dagger, which he had been holding up in preparation to strike. The weapon was viciously sharp and sliced through Lockie’s back between his ribs, its point piercing his heart on the other side.
For a moment Lockie’s eyes looked into Alex’s, then his eyes rolled back in his head. He let out a long, whistling breath and his head rolled sideways on the ground. Lockie Campbell was dead.
19
The Sisters
Lorna had Robina’s head in her lap, and Alex rushed to her side. She was lying still with her eyes open, and they were glazed, as if she had just woken from sleep and was not quite conscious yet.
“Sweetheart, are you all right?” he asked anxiously. “Are you hurt?”
Robina mumbled something but he could not make it out.
“There are no marks on her,” Lorna observed, “but I think she is shocked, and it may take her a while to recover. I will have my sister Nan come to see her...she is training to be an apothecary and can help her. Come with me.”
Alex picked up his wife and held her close to his body, where she turned her head into his chest and gave a little sigh. Some color was beginning to return to her pale face and he took it as a good sign. She was not injured, but it hurt him to see her like this, so fragile and vulnerable, unlike the strong and capable woman she usually was.
Lorna led him to a guest bedroom and turned down the bed, then went to fetch her sister. Alex tucked Robina under the blankets then picked up her hands and clasped them in his own, and she smiled at him.
“I was so scared,” she whispered, “but now I feel safe.”
“Thank God for that, sweetheart,” he breathed. He folded her into his arms and they kissed each other softly. Alex ran his hand over her bulge and she smiled at him lovingly.
“Thank you for saving me,” she whispered.
“I would happily have taken your place,” he said. His voice was calm but he felt sick as he thought of what could have happened.
Presently Lorna came back, having changed out of her riding clothes and into a simple day dress.
“Good morning, Milady,” she said cheerfully. “How are you feeling?”
